Flame hardening apparatus



Feb. 24, 1953 c. R. DERHAMMER 2,629,589

FLAME HARDENING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l CLM/E R DERHA MMER A T TOR/v5 V6 Feb. 24, 1953 c. R. DERHAMMER 2,629,589

FLAME HARDENING APPARATUS l|| I INVENToR.

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FLAME HARDENING APPARATUS Feb. 24, 1953 4 Sheets--SheerI Z Filed Dec. 17, 1949 i JNVENTOR. CLM/E R DERHAMMER A TToR/VE Y6 Feb. 24, 1953 c. R. DERHAMMER 2,629,589

FLAME HARDENING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY l Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE..

FLAMEHARDENING APPARATUS 1ClineE.`Derhammer-, East Cleveland, Ohio, as-

signor to- The Lakeside 'Steel Improvement `Gompamf., Cleveland, Gino, .a corporation ci Application December 17, 199,"Sera1No. 133,574

1 -ClainL l The present invention relates to flame-type hardening apparatus iorsurfa-ce hardening generally circular articles, such as gears, cams, and the like and, more particularly, relatively heavy articles, such as gears employed in steelY mill drives, etc.

One oi the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus for hardening generally circular articles, such as track wheels, gears, including bevelgears, cams, etc., which apparatus rwill be simple in construction, economical in operation, will produce the desired heating oi the article 'to be hardened in a minimum oi time' and is 'so arranged and constructed as to vfacilitate loading and unloading of the work' and quenching of the work after it is heated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus ci the character referred to comprising a'rotatable work support vertically reciprocable to submerge woz` carried thereby in va quenching bath and a plurality oi burners arranged about the work support so as to direct flames vagainst the work and including' means whereby a plurality ofi the burners can be moved as a unit toward and .from the work support, thereby facilitatingl access to the latter for the purposes of loading and. un'- loading the work.

Another object oi the invention is the provision of a new and improved heat treating apparatus of the character referred to comprising a plurality of burners mounted for universalV adjustment with respect to the work support, thereby permitting the apparatus to be used with work of different size and .configuration The invention resides in certain constructions and combinations and yarrangements of parts and further objects and advantages willbeV apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following description oi the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification; in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a flame hardening apparatus for hardening gears and kthe like, certain parts thereof being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an elevational side View of the apparatus shown in Fig. i, broken away land in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the apparatus taken substantially along line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a View in elevation oi a burner bracket of the name hardening apparatus, certain parts being broken away and others being .shown inv section;

showing certain partsV Fig; 5 is an elevational side View of a portion of the burnerbracket shown in Fig. i and Fig. 6 4is a ytop View, partly in section, of Aa portion of the bracket shown in Fig. 4.

-The invention contemplates the provision of heat treating apparatus com rising a work holding mechanism associated with a quenching tank and adapted to be operated to immerse the work into va quenching bath, in combination with a work heating apparatus, preferably in the form of fuel gas burners arranged to direct names onto work in the work holding mechanism. The burners 'are supported on bracket means for universal adjustment relative to the work to be heated, and a por-tion of the bracket means is movable, as on a pivot, so that la plurality or bank `of yburners may be moved as a unit towards and from the work hold-ing mechanism to provide access to Ithe 'latter between heating operations for loading land yunloading the Work.

In the lpreferred form of the invention, the burner bracket means includes two arcuatelyshaped members, positioned opposite one another, and pivoted lso that they may swing to" ward and from one another to move burners carried thereby towards and from work carried by the work holding mechanism. lreierably, the burner bracket means include mechanism for attaching the burners .to the arcuately-shaped members which provide a universal and 'wide range of adjustment .as to elevation, angularity, etc.,.of the burners proper reiative to the burner support brackets.

The invention may be embodied in apparatus for heat treating `various types lof articles, but it is particularly suitable for hardening gears and is herein shown embodiedV in such type of apparatus. Referring to the drawings, the flame hardening apparatus shown ycomprises a tank lil adapted to lcontain va bath or" quenching oil or other suitable quenching medium. A work holding 4mechanism is provided vin the tank, which mechanism comprises va chuck il attached to the upper end of a spindle l2 iournaled in a sleeve i3. The sieeve ld is vattached at one end of a triangular frame l5 having pairs of sleeves Il, H3 at the opposite corners remote from theV sleeve `I3 and slidable upon vertical stationary rods i9, 2t for guiding the frame l5 vertically.

The frame l5 is adapted vto be .moved verti' cally .by a piston 23 reciprocated in a cylinder 2d by pressure l'luid, in present instance air,

introduced into and expelled from opposite .endsA of the cylinder through tubes or conduits 25, Z, adapted to be selectively connected by .a three*- Way valve 2l to. exhaust and toa source cipres-` sure fluid, not shown, by a conduit 28 including a pressure gauge 29, pressure regulator 30, shut oi valve 3|, oil filter 32 and moisture trap 33. Piston 23 is connected to the frame I5 by a piston rod 35.

Preferably, the weight of the work holding mechanism is counterbalanced by a counterweight 36 attached to the frame I5 by a cable 31 riding in sheaves 38, 39 supported on a frame 40 above the tank proper. The counterweight 36 reduces the effort required to raise the frame I5 and its associated mechanisms.

For the purpose of rotating the spindle I2 and in turn the chuck I I and work during the heating operation, the lower end of the spindle I2 is provided with a sprocket 4| connected with a drive sprocket 42 by a sprocket chain 43. Drive sprocket 42 is attached to the lower end of a drive shaft 44 journaled adjacent to its lower end in a bearing 45 carried by a bracket 46 on the frame I5 and adjacent to its upper end in a bearing 47 attached to a plate y48 connected to the top of the tank I9. The shaft l44 is driven by a pulley 56 splined to the shaft so that the shaft may move vertically relative to the pulley as the frame I5 is raised and lowered. The pulley 50 is held against vertical movement and is driven by a belt 5| connected therewith to the driving pulley 52 of a motor driven variable speed power mechanism *53. 53 may be of any suitable type and is here shown as an electric motor driven Reeves drive having a wide range of variable speeds which may be controlled by the rotation of a sprocket 54 connected by a chain 55 to a crank-operated sprocket 56 attached to the forward side of the tank I0. The operation of the motor for the drive is controlled by a switch 53'. The plate 48 extends across the top of the tanks I0 and has a centrally located, forwardly projecting portion 51 which supports the cylinder 24 and the upper ends of the rods I8, I9. The structure is further supported by braces 58 connected to opposite sides of the members 51 and to the bottom of the tank.

The work to be heat treated, such as a gear G, is attached to the chuck I I and rotated thereby during the heating thereof above the surface of the quenching liquid. When the proper temperature has been attained, the frame I5 is lowered by operation of the valve 21 to the bottom of the tank, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to immerse the gear in the quenching oil. Preferably, the quenching oil is circulated in a tank by a suitable electric motor driven pump, not shown, and the operation of the motor is controlled by a switch 59.

The work is heated by a plurality of fuel gas burners B each comprising a box-like nozzle structure 69 connected to the end of a tubular stem 6|. The outer walls of the nozzles each have a slit 62 through which fuel gas is emitted. The tubular stems 6I are connected with a fuel gas manifold 63 encircling three sides of the top of the tank I0 by flexible hoses 64. The manifold is connected with a suitable source of gas fuel and air through suitable control and mixing valves 69, 69', which maintain the proper pressure and mixture of the fuel. Air is supplied for the gas mixture by an electric motor driven blower, not shown, which is controlled by a switch 63.

In the preferred form of the invention, the burners B are carried or supported by bracket means including oppositely positioned, arcuately The mechanism shaped members or plates 65, 66 which together with a member or plate 61 normally form a circle having the axis of the chuck II or spindle I2 at the center thereof. The member or plate 61 is bolted to a channel member 68 extending across and attached to the top of the tank I0 immediately in front of the cylinder 24 and the rear ends of the members 65, 66, which members are slidable upon the top of the tank I0, are pivoted to the member 68 adjacent to the ends of the member 61 by pins 10, 1|. The free ends of the members y65, 66 may be moved toward and away from one another to form a substantially closed circle as shown in Fig. 3 or to open the circular formation as shown in Fig. l and they provide or facilitate access to the chuck II for loading and unloading the work. Preferably, the top portions of the tank project inwardly as at 12 to form supports for the members 65, 65 and the front is provided with a stop 13 to facilitate positioning the members 65, 66 in their working position. A latch 14 on the member 65 cooperating with a pin on the member 66 may be employed if desired, to hold the members against accidental displacement during the heating operation.

The bracket means for carrying the burners B also includes a series of plates 15 bolted to the tops of the members 65, 66, y61 which plates are rectangular in shape and extend radially outwardly with respect to the circle formed by the members 65, 66, 61. Each plate 15 has a central, longitudinally extending, inverted T-slot 16 therein terminating short of the ends of the plate, which slots are adapted to receive the head 11 of a rod 18, the shank of which extends upwardly through the slot 16 and is provided with a short threaded section for the reception of a nut 8| by means of which the head may be drawn against the shoulders on the underside of the plate 11 to x the rod 18 in any desired position along the slot 16. If desired, more than one rod 18 may be attached to each plate 15.

Each of the rods 18 carry one or more universal clamping brackets C, each comprising a split tubular member adapted to receive the rod 18 therethrough and which has two complementary lugs 86, 81 provided with a clamp screw 88. The members C may be clamped to the rods 18 at any desired vertical position therealong by the clamp screws 88 which extend through an opening in lugs 86 and are threaded into lugs 81. Each of the tubular members 85 has an annular or disk like portion 99 having a circular face thereon provided with a central recess 9|, and a tapped opening 92 offset therefrom. A second somewhat similar member comprising a split tubular member 93 formed integral with an annular or disklike member 94 is pivotally connected with member 9|). To this end the member 94 has a central circular boss 95 which engages in the recess 9| in the member 90 and an arcuate slot 96 therethrough for the reception of the shank of a bolt 91 threaded into opening 92. The slot 9B extends through approximately and permits the members 93, 94 to be rotated through 90 relative to member 90 and to be locked therewith in any adjusted position by tightening the bolt 91.

The split tubular members 93 are adapted to receive the burner stems 6I and have complementary lugs |90, |0I provided with clamp screws I 02 the shanks of which pass through openings in the lugs |00 and are threaded into openings in the lugs IOI. By this arrangement, the distance of the burner nozzle from the upright support rods 7B can be adjusted, as desired.

It will be seen that the brackets C provide for adjustment of the burner nozzles with respect to elevation, angle of flame projection and distance from the work piece. If a large Work piece is to be heat treated, a plurality of burners can be carried on each of the upright rods 'i8 by attaching additional brackets to the rods. In some cases all of the burners provided may not be required and in this event the burners not used may be positioned on the respective rods 'F8 out of the Way of the active burners.

Work to be heat treated is placed in the chuck l! by separating burner base or carrying members 65, 99, as seen in Fig. 1, to gain access to the chuck. Thereafter the members 55, 69 are swung together and the burners adjusted as to proper height and distance from the periphery of the work if necessary so that uniform heating of the proper intensity can be effected. During the heating of the work it is rotated and when the proper temperature is attained, the valve 27 is actuated and the frame I5 lowered to submerge the Work in the quenching bath in the tank. The work is then elevated, the burners withdrawn or moved to inoperative position by separating the members 65, E6 and the Work removed from the chuck.

It is apparent that all of the objects enumerated above as well as others have been attained and I have provided a Iiame hardening apparatus which provides easy access to the work holder and which has provisions for adjusting the position of the burners relative to the Work and enables any number of burners to be readily removed from the operation and replaced according to the requirements of the particular work being heat treated.

While the preferred form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the constructions shown and it is my intention to cover hereby all adaptations, modiiications and changes therein which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a flame hardening apparatus, an open top d quenching tank, a vertical spindle adapted to have a workpiece connected thereto adjacent to its upper end, means for supporting said spindle in the center of said tank for vertical movement, means for reciprocating said spindle to selectively position the upper end thereof above or below the surface of quenching fluid in said tank, means for rotating said spindle, means forming supporting surfaces adjacent to the up er edge of the tank and on opposite sides thereof, a pair of opposed semi-circular members slidably supported on said supporting surfaces adjacent to the top of said tank for movement in a horizontal plane toward and from the center of the tank, a plurality of fuel burners connected to said semincircular members for universal adjustment relative thereto, means for connecting two of the adjacent ends of said semicircular members for pivotal movement about a vertical axis adjacent to a side of said tank whereby the free ends of said semi-circular members may be moved toward and from each other to cause said burners carried thereby Ito be moved toward a workpiece connected to said spindle to direct iiarnes onto the workpiece or away therefrom to leave the top of the tank open for loading and unloading said work spindle.

CLINE R. DERHAMMER.

REFERENES C'llED The following references are of record in the lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,085,790 Campbell July 6, 1937 2,254,700 Jones Sept. 2, 1941 2,296,387 Inskeep Sept. 22, 1942 2,367,898 Spieth Jan. 23, 1945 2,407,230 Furkert Sept. 10, 1946 2,457,654 Furkert Dec. 28, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 570,002 Great Britain June 18, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Machine Design, February 1949, pages 132, 133 and 134, article by J. R. Burg. 

